In San Antonio on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers overturned a 106-97 deficit to beat the Spurs 118-116 as Luka Dončić finished with 35 points and 13 assists. Victor Wembanyama, who struggled from the field, was assessed his sixth foul late and watched the final 1:40 from the bench after fouling out. The Lakers survived a chaotic finish — including a late turnover and a two-shot free-throw miss by Julian Champagnie — to improve to 7-2 early in the season. The Spurs fell to 5-2 after losing consecutive games following an initial 5-0 start.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Lakers 118, Spurs 116 — Los Angeles erased a nine-point deficit and held on by two points.
- Luka Dončić stat line: 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and five steals; he shot 9-of-27 from the field and missed a triple-double by one rebound.
- Victor Wembanyama: 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one block; he shot 5-of-14 and fouled out with 1:40 remaining.
- Critical sequence: Dončić’s go-ahead 3 at 2:31 made it 113-112; Wembanyama’s charging foul for his sixth followed less than a minute later.
- Late-game drama: Marcus Smart’s 1.2-second turnover on an inbounds play and two missed free throws by Julian Champagnie with 0.2 seconds left nearly cost the Lakers the win.
- Standings impact: Lakers improve to 7-2 despite absences; Spurs fall to 5-2 after two straight losses.
- Injuries and availability: Dončić has missed four of Los Angeles’ nine games, LeBron James has yet to debut this season with sciatica, and Austin Reaves sat out Wednesday with a groin issue.
Background
These teams entered the matchup among the early Western Conference leaders, with the Lakers holding a 7-2 record and the Spurs 5-1 before Saturday’s loss. Los Angeles has navigated the season so far without some of its expected core players: LeBron James has not yet debuted due to sciatica and Luka Dončić missed multiple games earlier in the stretch. Austin Reaves, who has been an unexpected scoring engine, was also sidelined Wednesday with a groin injury, forcing the Lakers to rely on other rotation pieces down the stretch. San Antonio came into the night after an encouraging 5-0 start that had been followed by two defeats, putting added emphasis on Wembanyama’s development and the Spurs’ ability to sustain early-season success.
Preseason expectations placed Wembanyama among the league’s most watched young stars, and the Spurs have shaped their roster to support his unique skill set. Conversely, the Lakers’ construction has centered on star power and veteran depth, but injuries have tested their rotation and role players. Early-season form can be volatile, so both clubs have seen statistical swings that reflect roster availability, travel scheduling and matchups. Wednesday’s meeting offered a midweek barometer for both teams’ resilience and adjustments as they move into heavier parts of their schedules.
Main Event
The Spurs led for the majority of the fourth quarter despite Wembanyama’s uneven shooting night, building a 106-97 lead that looked insurmountable late. Los Angeles chipped away through a combination of defensive plays and Dončić ball-handling, culminating in his step-back three-pointer at 2:31 that put the Lakers ahead 113-112 — the first Lakers lead of the period. Less than a minute later, Victor Wembanyama was called for a charging foul that was recorded as his sixth personal foul, forcing him from the game and removing San Antonio’s primary interior deterrent for the finish.
That sequence was decisive: after Wembanyama’s exit, the Spurs managed to create two late scoring chances but failed to convert. With 1.2 seconds left, Marcus Smart turned the ball over on an inbounds play when he could not get both feet in bounds before passing, and on the subsequent possession the Lakers fouled Julian Champagnie with 0.2 seconds remaining. Champagnie missed both free throws, allowing the Lakers to escape by two points. The final possessions underscored how fine the margin was between a comeback and a collapse.
Across the game Dončić did a little of everything: he produced points, created for teammates and generated steals that swung momentum. He finished one rebound shy of a triple-double while shouldering a heavy offensive load amid inefficient shooting. Wembanyama’s night reflected continued adjustment pains: he contributed on the glass and defensively but could not find consistent scoring rhythm, and his foul trouble limited his late-game influence. The Lakers’ depth and late execution, despite turnovers, ultimately decided the outcome in a head-to-head test of two West contenders.
Analysis & Implications
The result highlights the Lakers’ capacity to win close games even while missing key rotation players; improving to 7-2 so early suggests depth pieces are contributing in meaningful moments. Dončić’s all-around production (35 points and 13 assists) reinforces his role as a primary closer for Los Angeles, though his poor efficiency (9-of-27) flags shot selection and finishing as areas for internal review. If the Lakers can maintain winning outcomes while LeBron and Reaves remain sidelined, their margin for error will widen once full health returns.
For the Spurs, Wembanyama’s continued shooting inconsistencies present a short-term concern but not an indictment of his overall development. His 19 points and eight rebounds show value on the glass and in playmaking, but the team will need to manage his minutes and foul exposure to maximize late-game availability. The sixth foul was a tactical turning point; coaches across the league will weigh how to protect young stars from quick foul accumulation while preserving aggression.
On a league-wide level, the evening is a microcosm of how slender leads can be in the modern NBA and how single calls — a charge, a turnover, a pair of free throws — frequently decide outcomes. The Lakers’ upcoming five-game road trip, including a matchup with the 8-1 Oklahoma City Thunder, will be a stronger litmus test of their standing than a close midweek win. The Spurs’ next game against the Houston Rockets provides San Antonio a chance to recalibrate and reestablish momentum.
Comparison & Data
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Dončić | 35 | 9 | 13 | 9‑of‑27 |
| Victor Wembanyama | 19 | 8 | 3 | 5‑of‑14 |
The simple stat table underscores how Dončić compensated for low shooting efficiency by contributing in rebounds, assists and steals, nearly reaching a triple-double. Wembanyama’s line shows modest scoring and solid rebounding but a lower field-goal conversion rate and an absence late due to fouling out. Those disparities help explain why the Lakers could rally despite trailing by nine in the fourth and why the Spurs missed their primary interior presence for the final stretch.
Reactions & Quotes
“35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and five steals,”
Official box score / NBA (official stats)
This succinct stat reading from the official box score highlights Dončić’s multifaceted game and the near triple-double that defined his night.
“He fouled out with 1:40 remaining and did not return,”
Game report / Yahoo Sports (news)
Game accounts emphasized that Wembanyama’s sixth foul removed him from the closing sequence, a decisive moment in the contest.
“LeBron James remains sidelined this season with sciatica,”
Team injury report / Lakers (as reported by Yahoo Sports)
Reports confirmed LeBron had not yet made his season debut, a continuing storyline affecting Los Angeles’ rotation choices and game plans.
Unconfirmed
- Exact timeline for LeBron James’ return remains uncertain; team updates have not provided a firm date.
- The root cause of Wembanyama’s recent shooting dip is not definitively established and may combine matchup issues, fatigue and normal early-season variance.
- Details on Austin Reaves’ recovery timeline from his groin issue have not been fully disclosed by the team as of the game report.
Bottom Line
The Lakers’ 118-116 victory showcased Luka Dončić’s ability to take over tight finishes even when inefficient from the field, while also exposing thin margins that could have led to a loss. San Antonio’s setback centers on Wembanyama’s foul trouble and shooting inconsistencies; both are manageable concerns but worth monitoring as the season progresses. For both clubs, the immediate stretch of upcoming games — including a tough road trip for the Lakers and a challenging matchup for the Spurs against Houston — will better reveal whether these outcomes are trends or isolated events.
Practically, the game reinforced that early-season records can be deceptive: the Lakers are winning despite absences, and the Spurs are adjusting to peaks and troughs around a young franchise centerpiece. Fans and front offices alike should watch minutes management, rotation decisions and recovery reports closely; those elements will shape how each team navigates the rest of the condensed early schedule.